Eighth-graders get taste of life at Bonner-Prendie

By LINDA REILLY

Thursday, November 15, 2012

UPPER DARBY -- Eighth-graders from area public, private and parochial schools spent the day Thursday at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill for a first-hand look at the school.

There were 289 eighth grade students, some from as far away as Chadds Ford, arrived at 7:45 a.m. for a day in the life of high-schooler at Bonner-Prendie.

"Students were welcomed in the auditorium and went to a mock homeroom and were given a mock roster to attend abbreviated classes and to learn a short lesson," Director of Communications Tricia Scepansky said. "With the soon to be launched 1:1 technology initiative, we had students Tweet throughout the day using our hashtag #MBAPCHS while they ran through a roster demonstrating each of the education disciplines. Those Tweets were used to make a slide show of the students at the end of the day."

Performances from the jazz band, chorus, dance team and step team were presented for a glimpse of extracurricular activities capped with a free lunch in the cafeteria before the 1 p.m. dismissal.

An estimated 80 Bonner-Prendie student volunteers were on hand to spend time with the eighth-graders and assist to help make it a successful event.

According to Scepansky, Nov. 15 is the Archdiocese Visitation Day for students to visit an Catholic school of their choice.

Bonner-Prendie has already registered 50 students for the incoming freshman class next September. The present overall enrollment in ninth through 12th grade is 927, which include 265 members of the freshmen class.

An open house is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Monday Nov. 19 at the school for tours and registration.